Head of Public Affairs

We have an opportunity for a Head of Public Affairs for a Multinational company based in Fourways. 

Summary:

• To provide regulatory guidance and assistance to the business.
• To carry out the positioning of key issues for the company with different governmental authorities at a national and municipal level, associations, community forums, and chambers of industry, as required.
• To develop a communication plan to drive the stakeholder management strategy.
• To create an advocacy agenda that enhances the company’s brand with external stakeholders.
• To manage external communications from a Public Affairs perspective.
• To lobby and engage on key initiatives to drive sustainability, community enhancement regarding communications, education and driving change in the industry for the greater good.

Requirements: 

• Relevant B Degree
• 7 years relevant public affairs/regulatory experience
• Previous experience working with regulatory agencies, communities and public bodies and organisations
• Experience of legislative and regulatory processes.
• In-house or consultancy experience undertaking public affairs work in service of commercial objectives
• Track record of significant and documentable accomplishments in regulatory and public affairs matters
• Ability to formulate and effectively articulate recommendations to business partner

Skills Required:

• Verbal and written communication
• Attention to detail
• Conflict management
• Relationship management and engagement
• High emotional intelligence
• Ability to draft submissions on policy and engage with external stakeholders on policy issues
• Ability to influence at various levels and in varied environments
• Ability to work in a fast-paced and unsupervised environment
• Excellent negotiation skills
• Decision-making
• Proficient in the MS Office Suite
• Problem-solving skills 
• Teamwork-driven
• Results-oriented
• High degree of integrity
• Independent worker with the ability to manage internal and external stakeholders
• Well organized
• Resilient
• Articulate
• Confident
• Ability to manage substantial workload in fast-paced environment
• Prioritisation skills
• Planning and organising
• Analytical skills

Duties:

Execution of Public Affairs strategy

• Together with the Executive Head of Legal, CEO, executive team and Group Public Affairs creates a market-related Public Affairs strategy aligned to the Stakeholder Management strategy and plan, to ensure the best business context for the development of business operations.

Stakeholder Map

• Creates and maintains a comprehensive stakeholder map, to identify key contacts amongst elected municipality officials, local government and third-party groups.

Relationship management

• Engages and collaborates with internal stakeholders to drive key business initiatives.
• Initiates and maintains relationships with third-party groups including community organisations, ward councillors,
• NGOs and local government agencies.
• Establishes effective relationships with policy-making and regulatory stakeholders.
• Consults with outside regulatory advisors, and consulting companies.
• Collaborates effectively with internal stakeholders to determine and drive key initiatives.

Compliance

• Ensures that plans are in place to manage compliance with new or existing laws and regulations.
• Consults and co-ordinates with commercial teams to determine regulations impacting any current or new
• solutions or product offerings.

Public Affairs Communications Plan

• Builds a corporate message positioning with external stakeholders.
• Assist in the response to inquiries, requests and actions by regulators when appropriate.

People and Stakeholder Management

• Responsible for inspiring, motivating, leading and managing the team.
• Creates an environment in which learning and development are emphasised and valued.
• Takes personal responsibility for coaching and mentoring others.
• Effectively delegates authority and responsibility, in line with business objectives, to ensure the empowerment, motivation and effectiveness of all direct and indirect reports.
• Promotes a culture where the values of the organisation are seen to be ‘alive’.
• Ensures the implementation of the employee engagement programme.
• Encourages team members to express their views, resolves issues raised by the team, escalates issues if required, and provides feedback to teams on an ongoing basis.
• Develops and maintains an open communication channel to foster greater co-operation and teamwork.
• Fosters the transformation of the workplace and supports business in the achievement of the undertakings in the transformation scorecard, with specific attention to attaining the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) targets.
• Supports the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategy and plan.

Please note only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. To apply click on the "Apply" button where you will then be redirected to another site. If you have not heard from us in 3 weeks please consider your application unsuccessful.